Author: Mike Costanzo

Today is a day like any other day—the sun rose, the kids are off to school, and there is work to be done. But it’s also the three-year anniversary of Naomi’s death, so let’s pause the normal routines of our lives for a moment and reflect on what it means to die. What happens when we die? Well, if the Bible is true, everyone will be judged by a perfectly holy God and found guilty of sin. We have rejected God, and so He will reject us by casting us into a place of eternal torment and suffering called hell. This final act of judgment will be fairest, most impartial sentence ever handed down by any judge ever. We will get exactly what we deserve—unless someone else loves us enough to die in our place. Jesus did exactly that. He came to save the helpless and the lost. When He was crucified, he “became sin,” meaning He bore the full suffering of eternity in hell for all who believe. And when He rose from the dead, He proved that His love for His people is stronger than death and hell. He loves you, and all you need to do to avoid an eternity in hell is to accept the gift He has given and worship Him as your Lord. That message is what we call the gospel, or “good...

“The Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” On Saturday, May 23rd, our family and many of our friends gathered together to weep and worship with us as we grieved Naomi’s death and celebrated her life. It was a strange joy, quite unexpected in the midst of our greatest heartache, to see and receive hugs from those we love, many of which had traveled great distances and at considerable expense. Few knew what to say—including us!—but the Spirit interceded for us in our groanings and communicated God’s love in a powerful way....

This Saturday, May 23rd, a funeral service will be held for Naomi Grace Costanzo. We will be celebrating her short life by singing hymns, hearing God’s Word, and bringing glory to her omnipotent and all-wise Creator. There will be a time of visitation starting at 9:30am, and the service will begin at 10:30am. All are welcome to join us. The visitation and service will be held at Grace Fellowship Church (27 Pecora Blvd, Hazleton, PA, 18202). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Voice of the Martyrs or any other Christian organization. For all those who can make it, we look forward to seeing you then. For those that cannot, we covet your prayers for our family and for all those who have been touched by Naomi’s life. (If you intend to come long-distance and need help making arangements, please let us know.) Thank you for your expressions of love and comfort. God be praised, both now and...

Our dear family & friends, At about 1:30am this morning, Naomi Grace Costanzo entered into the presence and joy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She fought bravely and endured much in her 44 days of life here on earth, but now she is free from it all. No more tubes, no more IV’s, no more leads, no more blood tests, no more suffering, no more confusion, no more pain. She has entered into the eternal rest prepared for the people of God, a sinless state of perfection in which she will be blessed forever. Our hearts are broken to be parted from our sweet daughter so soon, but we also rejoice with joy inexpressible that she has obtained that which our hearts also long for. She now sees God face to face and walks with Him, unhampered by a frail body or broken chromosomes. Nor do we mourn as those who have no hope. She is not an angel or a thousand winds; she is not an omnipresent part of the universe or an idol to be prayed to. She is a glorified human soul in the presence of the most high and most glorious God, a perfect reflection of His faithful love and infinite grace. And in that we rejoice. We will send out information about her funeral/memorial service as soon as we can. In the...

Today is Naomi’s six-week birthday! We truly thank God for every single day of this bittersweet journey with our precious and beloved daughter. This week has been one of gradual decline. While there have been no major medical crises, there has also not been much improvement, which seems to indicate that Naomi’s remaining time will be short. Because of this, Jen and I have been taking turns spending some nights at the hospital so that we can hold Naomi and be near to her. While each step downward is sad and hard to take, overall we cannot deny our gratitude...